Buffalowed Bill Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I would like to hear from members of the forum whether trying to save the original, cracked block for my 1937 President coupe is worth the extra hassle. I have several other 36/37 engines one of which has a serial number close to that of the original engine. I had earmarked that engine long ago for a build but began wondering if others who might think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stude Light Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 (edited) Did Studebaker track and record the engine serial and match to the body serial number in 1937? Other than you knowing that it wasn't the exact engine that came out of the car, I do NOT (added edit) see the benefit of spending the time and money. If it were me and I was going to enjoy driving the car, I would rather have the non-repaired block under my hood. Scott Edited January 5, 2017 by Stude Light OOPs - Added NOT (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlightcoupe Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, Stude Light said: Did Studebaker track and record the engine serial and match to the body serial number in 1937? Scott I believe the production orders (build sheets) for Studebakers have been preserved at the Studebaker National Museum, and do go back to 1937. Has anyone ever judging a Studebaker asked for a copy of the production order to verify the engine matching numbers? I doubt it. If you go to the trouble and expense of restoring a cracked block in a Studebaker it is for your satisfaction only. I can direct you to an original '37 Studebaker Coupe Express engine that was locked up (not cracked) and used to help fill an errant and forgotten septic tank. Edited January 5, 2017 by starlightcoupe (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) depends where the crack is and how bad. Or you can sell the coupe. Edited January 5, 2017 by studerex (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 A good stitch welder can fix anything. Unfortunately there are very very few out there. We have one in Massachusetts that is unbelievable. If the engine numbers are matched to the chassis on the build card then I would fix the original block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Well, the unbelievablel one in Massachusetts can't fix a block I have! He spent a little time with my '38 Packard block, and said there was no way to fix it, too far gone....oh well....!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1lark Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 How is your car registered -- using the car's serial number, or using the engine number? Some states in the '30s used the engine number instead of the car's serial number. If yours is registered using the engine number, that might be a reason to try to fix the existing engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 On 1/4/2017 at 4:41 PM, Buffalowed Bill said: whether trying to save the original, cracked block for my 1937 President coupe is worth the extra hassle. I have several other 36/37 engines one of which has a serial number close to that of the original engine Just me, but if I was buying the car from you after you restored it, I would have preferred using the uncracked engine You can always keep/store the cracked one, if you think it may matter in the future? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlightcoupe Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 2 hours ago, r1lark said: How is your car registered -- using the car's serial number, or using the engine number? Some states in the '30s used the engine number instead of the car's serial number. If yours is registered using the engine number, that might be a reason to try to fix the existing engine. An even more enticing reason to get the title correctly changed to the Serial No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studeq Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 (edited) Those cars are really fairly common and there is not much demand so if I were you I would get rid of it and move on. A few of the many shown below. Edited January 6, 2017 by studeq (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. Thanks to Rex and Dick for suggesting that it would be advantageous to sell the car and move on, but it's a bit unclear as to whom the sale would benefit. I'm sure that both have a buyer in mind, and maybe even have a price in mind that would allow me to rid myself of this white elephant. r1lark, you are correct and the car is registered with the engine number. I was sure that I had gotten the build sheet for the coupe, but the build sheet is for the 37 president sedan that I own. I was frustrated to find that all but one of the build sheets that I purchased over the years have gone missing! I guess that I will have to order a build sheet for the coupe to verify what I have always believed to be true, that the engine that was in the car is original to the car. Rex, I can't lay my hands on the engine right now, but as I remember the crack was low down on the side of the block, and not between the cylinders, or the valves. The crack showed up only as the result of a pleasure test. It seemed to be almost like a small stress crack or internal deterioration and which came back from the machine shop circled in chalk about the size of a fifty cent piece. There was no appreciable bulge so it didn't look like the result of freezing. Another question, whether to use the original aluminum head or a later cast iron head. The engine came apart easily, and I was surprised that the head came off with no problem. I was not expecting the head to be in as good a shape as it was. I did have an old school welder work on several cracks and he was able to pleasure test it to over one hundred pounds. I keep going back and forth on the head, because I am still unsure how long the original casting might last. Is it really worth taking the chance of jeopardizing one of these daunting builds. Heaven knows that I don't want to redo the engine if the head fails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 If the crack is external just fix it. No big deal. How would you like to fix this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Rex, Could you save that thing by sleeving it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 It's being done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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